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A lasting legacy for people experiencing homelessness
A reclusive and frugal GP, the late Dr Dianne Houghton, has quietly made a lasting difference to Sydney’s homeless community.
Dr Houghton, who worked for much of her life at Laurieton, near Port Macquarie and occasionally attended Christ Church St Laurence, near Central Station, left a multi-million dollar bequest when she died in 2018.
She established a charitable Trust in the name of the Church and asked them to “do some good” with it.
Honouring her interest in the underprivileged and her own work as a doctor, the Parish chose to support the Haymarket Foundation’s medical practice.
As a result, a GP service specialising in the health needs of people experiencing homelessness will open opposite Central Station in late 2022.
The rent for the commercial property will be paid by the Trust for 20 years, helping the Haymarket Foundation’s social enterprise to achieve viability sooner.
“We are so grateful to the Parish for their support and to Dr Houghton for her foresight,” says CEO of the Haymarket Foundation, Peter Valpiani.
“This will ensure that no-one is turned away and everyone gets the medical help they need and deserve.”
Find out more about leaving a lasting legacy here
A story about Dr Houghton’s gift also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald.